August 17-September 19, 2020 | Fredericksburg, TX

Breaking Traditions

The Oil Painters of America hosts its annual National Juried Exhibition online through RS Hanna Gallery.

For nearly 30 years, Oil Painters of America has hosted its National Juried Exhibition at galleries around the country for collectors, artists and patrons to converge for a weekend of events. This year, due to the new coronavirus, plans have changed, but the mission of offering among the highest quality of traditional oil paintings is still at the heart of the event. This year’s 29th edition, which was postponed from May and rescheduled as an online event, will take place August 17 through September 29 at RS Hanna Gallery in Fredericksburg, Texas.Chris Kling, Gallery Family, oil, 24 x 18"

Brian McClear, Joelle, oil on canvas, 40 x 30"

Debbie Mueller, Beyond the Lobster Pound, oil on panel, 24 x 30"

There will still be a number of virtual events happening including an online awards ceremony on September 10 at 6:30 p.m., Central Time. The ceremony will announce the prize-winning pieces as selected by awards juror Rose Frantzen, while the wet paint competition and the convention also move to a digital format.

More than 200 works of art were selected for the 2020 event, with artists Brian McClear, Charles David Alexander, Chris Kling, Debbie Mueller, Deborah Allison, Jing Zhao, Julie Davis, Nikki Davidson and Pamela B. Padgett being among those with paintings juried. Their works will range in subject matter and style, showing the range of the art available from the group’s members. Hanging alongside these works will be a selection of pieces submitted by the Master Signature members of OPA.

Clockwise from top left: Nikki Davidson, Ancient, oil, 24 x 18"; Julie Davis, Golden Birch, oil on panel, 14 x 11"; Charles David Alexander, Cheers!, oil on canvas, 20 x 16" ; John C. Moffitt, Colt Special, oil on linen canvas, 14 x 20"; Deborah Allison, Commuters, oil on canvas, 22 x 28"

Brenda Coldwell’s juried work for the exhibition is the maritime painting Yellow Joy. She says, “In painting Yellow Joy, it was really about the color of the scene that excited me. The beautiful shapes of the boats, reflections and my memory of the warm, soft breeze inspired me as well.”

The Trompe l’Oeil painting Colt Special by John C. Moffitt is another work collectors will see on view. “The title Colt Special refers to the Colt model 1849 pocket revolver hanging upside down from the lock on the Wells Fargo Strong Box,” he says. “For reasons no one really knows, this model pistol eventually became known as the ‘Wells Fargo Special’ even though Wells Fargo never actually officially used the weapon. The drivers preferred a shotgun. A strong box on display at the Autry Museum—just like the one depicted in the painting—inspired the painting.”Jing Zhao, A Guatemalan Girl, oil, 24 x 20"

Tony Tong Luo’s painting Butter Milk Tea is also juried in the exhibition. Luo was born in Huaiyang County of the Henan Province in China, and his artwork shows off his mix of light and contrast and high details. The artist has said, “Through the unique image and the subject that I select, the variation of texture and colors, I strive to create a spiritual nourishment, so as to stimulate and sharpen the artistic intuition among us.”Clockwise from top left: Tony Tong Luo, Butter Milk Tea, oil, 30 x 36"; Pamela B. Padgett, Monet’s Bouquet, oil, 24 x 24; Brenda Coldwell, Yellow Joy, oil, 20 x 24"

The National Juried Exhibition is available to view online through both the RS Hanna website and the Oil Painters of America website. —

Oil Painters of America’s Virtual National Juried Exhibition
When: August 17-September 19, 2020; September 10, 6:30 p.m., virtual awards ceremony
Where: RS Hanna Gallery, 244 W. Main Street, Fredericksburg, TX, 78624
Information: www.oilpaintersofamerica.com, www.rshannagallery.com